1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an arrangement for retaining individual cables or wires inside a cable trough.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Troughs are generally known for use in retaining and routing wires or cables over desired paths between racks of electrical or communication equipment. For example, a cable management system offered by Panduit Network Systems Group, includes 83-inch high vertical panels that are fixed along sides of equipment racks housing fiber optic distribution shelves. Retaining fingers are provided at certain intervals over the height of the vertical panels, to retain cables within bounds of the panels. See also U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/427,900 filed Oct. 27, 1999, entitled "Cable Management Assembly for Equipment Racks", which application is assigned to the assignee of the present application and invention.
A vertical cable retainer made by Chatsworth Products is also known. The retainer is in the form of a trough that confines inserted cables on three sides, and uses swing arms at the front of the trough to retain the cables in the trough. Thus, in order to insert or withdraw cables into or out of the trough, the swing arms must be moved out of a retaining position, and then swung back into position when cable insertion/withdrawal is complete.
A so-called 110 Jumper Trough, available from Lucent Technologies Inc. (product nos. 110A2, 110B1), is intended for routing cables horizontally between wiring blocks. The trough has aligned pairs of resilient retaining fingers extending from opposite side walls over the length of the trough. Confronting ends of each pair of fingers may be spread apart to insert or withdraw cables into and out of the trough.
A cable trough having retainer fingers that are fixed, rather than movable and subject to failure from repeated use, would be very desirable.